Barcelona designer Christophe Mathieu’s Maranga Floor Lamp puts his distinctive sectioned shade to arresting use. Inspired by the shapes of exotic fruit, as well as an appreciation for Scandinavian style, Christophe created something completely new with his polycarbonate fixture for Marset. The shade is made up of 32 sections which are evenly spaced for an interplay of light and dark. The resulting illumination is richly shaded and glare-free. In a choice of 2 sizes, the floor lamp is fitted with a diffuser to direct light downward.

“Marset is more than lamps: We take care of light in its different nuances and effects, to create atmospheres with character, helping to improve people’s quality of life,” declares the Barcelona-based company. Marset’s dual preoccupation with both crisp contemporary design and the more elusive ambiance of lighting has firmly fixed the firm on the design world’s cutting-edge radar. A series of attention-grabbing and innovative fixtures account for the recent revitalization of the brand, though Marset has actually been around since the 1940s.

A family business, Marset was originally a foundry, not a lighting company. It segued into lighting design when Francisco Marset formally established Marset Illuminacion in 1965. Decades devoted to metalwork easily translated to the contemporary lighting industry, with a dexterity of materials available to create unexpected, atmospheric lighting effects. Not to mention the influence of its Barcelona home, a city renowned for architecture, design and visual inspiration.